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Purpose: This study seeks to provide evaluations of the challenges, drivers and government responses that are provided for SEMs and in-house recovery in Jordan context in time of COVID-19, from viewpoints of owners and employees of SMEs and in-house businesses.
Theoretical framework: This study reviews the literature for the challenges, drivers and government responses for SMEs to assemble the list that was used to gather respondents’ evaluations and provide an evaluation of the SME environment in Jordan during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Design/Methodology/Approach: Using a questionnaire, data was collected for this study, purposive sampling was applied, and a sample of 1,179 provides the assessments that were used to gather the results. SPSS was used to conduct data analysis that was based on the use of descriptive analysis.
Findings: The findings show that owners and employees of SMEs and in-house businesses in Jordan express moderate levels of agreement toward all proposed challenges, with the exception of challenges related to market factors, which are at a high level of agreement. Additionally, all proposed drivers are at moderate levels of agreement, and the highest agreement level is for e-marketing factors.
Research practical & Social implications: The study suggests allowing government agencies, educational institutions, donor and support organisations, and owners and employees of SMEs to adopt strategic business plans that take advantages of possible drivers and mitigate the consequences of challenges in the business environment.
Originality/Value: This study contributes to the emerging literature concerning SMEs during the COVID-19 pandemic by targeting owners and employees of SMEs and in-house businesses in Jordan to gather their responses regarding a set of challenges, drivers and government responses that the literature proposed as characterising the business environment during the pandemic.
